Dalton, 'D', Petite Sirah 2011: The third vintage for this wine and pretty consistent quality-wise. Aged 12 months in american oak barrels. Dark clean cherry red towards purple, a floral nose with lavender, intense blackberries and a backdrop of black pepper. Medium to full-bodied with on the palate juicy blackberries, anise, plums, some earthiness with on the long finish some notes of cinnamon, black pepper and vanilla and nice teeth-staining tannins caressing the palate. Really good wine, QPR, but I missed a bit my beloved blueberries that I like so much in my PS's and the buttery creaminess of the previous vintage.

I have to differ a bit. We had the 2011 Dalton PS last shabbat (9 days ago), and while it tasted just fine, it was so round and soft I could have thought it was the 2009 , the way the 2009 is drinking now with two extra years in the bottle. It seems to be lacking some structure --- acidity? tanins? both?; maybe it is where Rogov used to call "drink now." So I would say that the QPR is not as high as previous vintages, admitting at the same time that it is certainly enjoyable.

Hey I never did reply to you Gabe - sorry (over email). To me this wine was as good as the 2010, just without any blue fruit. Forest berries and round in the mouth, sweet but controlled, but good mouth coating tannin - they are not shy. I think what Isaac means is that the wine is round, no edges, which is fine with me, and deep and rich.

David Raccah wrote:Hey I never did reply to you Gabe - sorry (over email). To me this wine was as good as the 2010, just without any blue fruit. Forest berries and round in the mouth, sweet but controlled, but good mouth coating tannin - they are not shy. I think what Isaac means is that the wine is round, no edges, which is fine with me, and deep and rich.

Comparing these comments of yours with my TN makes for some obvious agreement between us two. How surprising!